Fire Safety

Delivering Excellence

Fire Safety ​

Fire comes under the most common reason for the loss in the workplaces. And it is also one of the biggest reasons for the accidental loss of human resources at the workplace. Also, the numbers of fire accidents are not only increasing every year, but they are also becoming dangerous every year. Even a small fire can cause a lot of loss in the business, so it is really important to have proper fire prevention at the workplace. Having proper fire prevention equipment is not only the legal compulsion for business owners but also the normal duty of the owners towards their workers. If the workers feel safe in their workplace, it is evident that they will work with more relax mind and with more efficiency andthis will only result in the growth of the business. While many business and workplace offer their workers to get the training regarding the fire prevention and how can they avoid such situations or what they should do at the very first moment. So before moving towards the prevention methods and details, let’s first understand “What is Fire?”

WHAT IS FIRE?

In a layman language, “fire is the process in which the substances combine chemically with Oxygen present in the air and resulting in bright light, heat and smoke. In other words, fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light and various reaction products.”

PRINCIPLES OF COMBUSTION IN FIRE SAFETY

If we understand the way to prevent and the process of preventing fire, firstly we have to understand what the principles of combustion are; we have to understand what caused the fire, what make these chemical reactions into fire. The first and foremost thing that requires any fire to start anywhere; there must be presence of flammable items in form of liquid, solid or even gas. The presence of such material will act as the ignition source in the area in order to start the fire, and in order for the fire to continue, oxygen must be present. Surprisingly if any of the above-told things is not present it is impossible to even start a fire, let alone become a disaster.

THE MAIN CAUSES OF FIRE AND FIRE SPREAD

The studies by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) have put following things in the list of the principal sources of the fire in production and storage areas:

Production Area:

  • Heat producing plant and equipment
  • Frictional heat and spark
  • Oil Spill
  • Refrigeration plant
  • Electrical equipment

Storage Area:

  • Any kind of intruder, including children
  • Cigarettes and smoke to be present in the area
  • Equipment that store materials like packaging material, etc.

Industrial Fires 

  • Combustible dust
  • Hot work
  • Flammable liquids and gasses
  • Equipment and machinery
  • Electrical hazards

After seeing the things that can cause fire in the production and storage areas, let’s see what fire instructions is before we discuss what needs to be done in the case of fire.

FIRE INSTRUCTIONS

Fire instructions are a notice of message that tells you what to do in case there is any fire around you. It is necessary to go through the notice properly and then follow it accordingly. A notice will always tell you what to do in case you find fire near you or hear the fire alarm. With these notices, a business owner should conduct regular fire drills to give educate their employees so that they can act accordingly when there are fire emergencies in the workplace.

 

SOME BASIC FIRE DETECTION, SUPPRESSION AND FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEMS IMPORTANT TO YOUR BUSINESS

FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS

Fire alarm system is a method to create awareness to the people present in the building when there is an emergency or fire incidents. This should be present in every office and workplace so as to make people aware of the emergency and evacuate the premises safely and to avoid panic. A fire alarm gives warning before the fire becomes dangerous and also reduces casualties.

AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM

Automatic Fire Suppression System FM-200, also commonly known as HFC-227, is a clean agent fire suppressant for Class A, B and C fires and meets NFPA Standard 2001 Clean Agent Extinguishing Systems. Clean agents are fast and effective in suppressing fires, are safe in occupied spaces, and do not leave a residue.

HOW DOES FM-200 WORK?

FM -200 Suppresses fire by disrupting the fire triangle. The fire triangle is made up of heat, oxygen, and a fuel source and by removing one of these elements, the fire is extinguished. FM-200 removes the heat or free radicals, which interferes with the fire triangle’s chemical reaction to extinguish the fire. Clean agent fire suppression systems extinguishes fire within 10 seconds.

IMPORTANCE OF INSTALLING FM 200 FIRE SUPPRESSION IN YOUR BUSINESS

  1. FM-200 is a clean agent that is safe around people; therefore, FM-200 Fire suppression systems are safe for humans and easy to install in occupied spaces.
  1. When FM-200 Fire suppression system activates to put out a fire, no residue is left behind, and it is safe for equipment, electronics and machinery.
  1. Compared to other clean agents like NOVEC 1230, FM-200 is slightly more cost-effective option.
  2. Because of the small amount of FM-200 required to suppress a fire, smaller or fewer cylinders are needed when compared to other gas agents like Novec 1230.

FIRE HYDRANT AND SPRINKLER SYSTEM

A Fire Sprinkler System is a simple, but key, active component of a domestic or commercial building’s fire protection system, installed in ceilings or side walls, the system consists of a water supply, a water distribution piping system and sprinkler heads. The sprinkler discharges water automatically when a fire is detected, though it is not triggered by smoke. It controls or extinguishes the fire, so is both a fire detection and suppression system.

FIRE SPRINKLER TYPES

There are four main types of fire sprinkler system:

  • Wet pipe
  • Dry pipe
  • Deluge
  • Pre-action

In a wet pipe fire sprinkler system, the most common type in residential buildings, cold water is stored under pressure in the pipes and is released immediately by sprinkler heads when the predetermined heat level is reached.

Dry pipe sprinkler systems take slightly longer to activate and are used in unheated/unoccupied buildings where pipes may freeze and burst. Nitrogen gas or pressurized air is stored in the pipes, connected to a water storage tank or main. On activation by a fire, the air leaks out of the pipes, causing the water to flow through the pipes to the sprinkler heads.Deluge sprinkler systems are typically used in areas where rapid fire damage is a major concern, such as warehouse loading bays and high-rise buildings. In these systems, the nozzle is always open. They are triggered by an alarm that opens a water release valve.

Pre-action sprinkler systems are a combination of wet and dry pipe system, typically used inareas at high-risk of water damage. Water is not stored in the pipes until a fire is detected; whenthe water is released to the sprinkler heads. The response time is as fast as a standard wet pipesprinkler system. Automatic fire sprinkler systems are also available and are effective in largeareas such as offices and shopping centers.

FOAM FIRE FIGHTING IN OIL AND GAS FACILITIES

Tank farm fires in the oil and petrochemical industry and vessels do not occur often; when they do occur, it is with devastating consequences and negative publicity. Having the presence of foam is the most suitable extinguishing agent together with the right firefighting equipment is the most commonly used. Finally, it is questioned whether the lessons learned from every incident are being taken into consideration.

FIREFIGHTING IN SHIP BUILDING

OTHER FIRE SAFETY EQUIPMENT

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

TROLLEYS

FIRE BLANKET

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

FIRE SAFETY TRAINING

Fire poses a tremendous safety risk for any business, workplace or organization – one of the biggest safety issues we see, in fact, yet one that is sometimes overlooked or underestimated.

An important aspect of any prevention process requires the full awareness of the risks and impacts. Fire safety awareness is the important starting point in an integrated fire safety plan for every business.

Awareness Is the Foundation for Fire Safety

Every employee shares the responsibility for fire prevention in the building or work site. It essential that senior management take the lead and create a shared awareness and knowledge in regards to fire prevention and fire protection.

Experienced business leaders understand the importance of safety and health procedures to protect their valued employees and business assets and it is important revisit the communication around fire safety on a regular basis.

Planning for Fire Safety

Fire prevention planning and related training directly influences the outcome of a fire emergency. This is a well-known concept advanced by federal and regulations. Laws and regulations provide guidance to business in developing safety plans to include fire safety.

The overall safety plan for the business should include an important section on fire safety awareness and a detailed fire safety plan. A key element of the fire safety plan is employee training. Regardless of the employee head count at a business facility, every employee needs to be made aware of his or her safety responsibilities; this is ideally done through regular training.

Fire Safety Communication

Fire safety awareness is an educational process to remind everyone in the workplace of best practices to avoid creating a fire risk, and the measures to take in the event a fire happens in the workplace. A plan educates and reminds everyone of the specific prevention methods and the safety procedures that are applicable to the organization.

Every workplace needs a defined training process to communicate the responsibilities and essential fire safety procedures to all employees. The best communication approach starts with training in the fire alarm systems, the evacuation routes to safely exit the building, and the process to accounting for all personnel.

Fire Awareness Leadership

Senior management needs to own every important program to protect employees and company assets. Safety awareness efforts, procedures and training need to be tailored to the size and risk factors of the facilities involved, but fire safety planning is a must at every workplace, regardless of staff size.

Leadership means effective communication of the importance of safety procedures, sufficient funding in the annual budget for training events, and a communication process that promotes fire safety awareness.  Leaders should review the training to make sure it is relevant, that the training scenarios include real on-site experiences, and uses industry safety benchmarks to help develop a fire safety culture for the organization.

How Nazera Consulting & Training Can Help with Fire Prevention & Safety Awareness

Nazera Consulting & Training are experts in helping workplaces and organizations become better prepared and more aware of safety.

We can help your organization with site assessments as well as courses or H.S.S.E Consultancy.